Chicago City Hall: Mayor preps re-election bid

Antonio Perez, Chicago Tribune

Mayor Rahm Emanuel's 2014 is shaping up to be dominated by a push to fix the city's government worker pension system, a looming financial mess that could become a serious problem for him heading into his run for re-election in 2015 if he can't claim some kind of victory. In addition, political Chicago will be waiting to see whether a viable mayoral challenger emerges. Emanuel has been working to make the already daunting task of running against a sitting Chicago mayor even more difficult by flexing his vaunted campaign fundraising skills to the tune of about $5 million in the bank. Beyond that, the mayor has an ongoing contract impasse with police and firefighters. Emanuel will roll out more revenue-generating speed cameras around the city and expand the popular Divvy bike rental program. And his infrastructure trust will try to finally get its first public-private partnership, a deal to improve energy efficiency in city buildings, up and running. -- Hal Dardick

Mayor Rahm Emanuel's 2014 is shaping up to be dominated by a push to fix the city's government worker pension system, a looming financial mess that could become a serious problem for him heading into his run for re-election in 2015 if he can't claim some kind of victory. In addition, political Chicago will be waiting to see whether a viable mayoral challenger emerges. Emanuel has been working to make the already daunting task of running against a sitting Chicago mayor even more difficult by flexing his vaunted campaign fundraising skills to the tune of about $5 million in the bank. Beyond that, the mayor has an ongoing contract impasse with police and firefighters. Emanuel will roll out more revenue-generating speed cameras around the city and expand the popular Divvy bike rental program. And his infrastructure trust will try to finally get its first public-private partnership, a deal to improve energy efficiency in city buildings, up and running. -- Hal Dardick (Antonio Perez, Chicago Tribune)

Mayor Rahm Emanuel's 2014 is shaping up to be dominated by a push to fix the city's government worker pension system, a looming financial mess that could become a serious problem for him heading into his run for re-election in 2015 if he can't claim some kind of victory. In addition, political Chicago will be waiting to see whether a viable mayoral challenger emerges. Emanuel has been working to make the already daunting task of running against a sitting Chicago mayor even more difficult by flexing his vaunted campaign fundraising skills to the tune of about $5 million in the bank. Beyond that, the mayor has an ongoing contract impasse with police and firefighters. Emanuel will roll out more revenue-generating speed cameras around the city and expand the popular Divvy bike rental program. And his infrastructure trust will try to finally get its first public-private partnership, a deal to improve energy efficiency in city buildings, up and running. -- Hal Dardick